With The Stars Aligning
by Tiggy the Hopeless Romantic
Summary: Maera Lyman didn't know that her homework would become such a constant part of her life. She didn't know that she would grow so attatched to the Wicked Witch of the West or that she would feel so connected to someone who died over a hundred years before.
1. Dear Old Shiz

This is sort of the "teaser trailer" for a story I intend to write later this summer. It's very different than most everything I've written, but I promise it is Wicked fanfiction, and not just because it's set in Oz. I can't claim that reviews will get this story out any faster, because I wanted to finish at least one of the projects I already have going before I pick this story back up, but I would greatly appreciate any feedback you can give.

Happy Reading!

* * *

"Miss Lyman."

"Professor."

He had to laugh then. Maera Lyman, had never been one to mess with, that much he knew from having already been her teacher the previous year. He knew there was actually very little point in bickering with her; she was going to get her way, regardless. It was just a matter of who she needed to grapple with first. "Miss Lyman, it's not that I disagree with your topic. It's an incredibly interesting concept. I'm just worried you won't be able to find adequate information on the topic. This paper isn't due until the end of the semester, it's a large percentage of your grade. I wouldn't want your grade to suffer due to a lack of unbiased information."

"That's the point, though. The paper is on the unfair effects of propaganda!" Arms folded across her chest, glaring at him. Maera was young and still sometimes had the look of a teenager to her. A very stubborn, annoyed teenager. Who was probably going to win any argument she got into.

"But I don't know how you plan to prove that the Wicked Witch of the West was a victim of negative propaganda. There is not going to be very much information at all that is unbiased about the Witch."

"Sir, if you don't mind my saying so, but you're an Animal yourself. How can you think that the Witch wasn't good? She worked on Animals' behalf, all reports say."

He smiled, now sure there was no way he was going to win the argument. "I'm aware of that. But during the Wizardic years, no one was allowed to make any sort of positive comment on the Witch. During the reign of Lady Glinda, most of the Wizard's controversial laws were repealed, but she never made a comment on the Witch, so no one chanced commenting on her. After Lady Glinda passed on, there was practically no one who could remember a time before the Witch. There was no one left to finally defend her. I agree, there is definitely a story there. But I don't know how you plan to find it out."

"You think I won't be able to?" _Ahh, the challenge. A flash of defiance in her eyes_.

"I think if anyone is going to be able to find out the story of the Wicked Witch of the West, you will. That being said-"

"I am going to write this paper on the topic of my choosing," Maera insisted.

He had to laugh then. "You are going to write your paper on the topic of your choosing." And that was largely that.

* * *

_Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap-tap. Tap. _"Maera!"

"Yes?"

"You are typing too loudly."

"Is it possible to type quietly?"

Maera's younger sister, Theia, glared at her. "I have no idea if it's possible, but I was hoping you would find a way." The two girls had shared a bedroom their entire lives and, other than the odd year in which Maera was a freshman and Theia was still living with their parents. It just seemed natural for the two of them to continue living together. They had moved in with Grazina, the fashionable, fabulous aspiring actress who had somehow managed to become one of practical Maera's best friends.

"I get it, I get it- but I'm only stopping because I'm tired, too," Maera did not particularly want to admit her sister had power over her. Particularly because Theia knew it already. She saved her work and reluctantly turned off her laptop. "Goodnight!"

"Night," she mumbled back, already half asleep.

Although she _was _tired, sleep wasn't coming to Maera. Her topic kept swirling around in her head- well, not necessarily her formal topic of propaganda during the rein of the Wizard of Oz, but what had inspired the topic. Or rather, who. The Wicked Witch of the West.

The story was familiar to everyone. The woman had died one hundred and nine years ago. At one point, she had been a terror throughout Oz, or at least she supposedly was one. Then she had died, and the Wizard had stepped down or retired or something. Lady Glinda Upland, also known as the Good Witch of the North, a beautiful young woman had taken charge of Oz. She pretty much undid everything the Wizard had done in his time as ruler- buy she did it with such a charm and grace that even those who had been loyal to the Wizard didn't mind. She lived a good, long life and never married, although she was beautiful until the day she died. She had no heirs, insisting that Oz's Citizens were her children, and as she wished, they had elected all politicians after her death.

Although it was generally accepted that the Wizard had been corrupt, no one ever commented that the Wicked Witch of the West- his enemy- could have been good, the victim in it all. Although Lady Glinda seemed to believe the same things as the Witch, no one ever mourned her. Perhaps it was tradition, perhaps it never occurred to anyone- perhaps people enjoyed dressing their little girls up as the Witch for Halloween(a holiday that had come from the Wizard's land, that had always struck Maera as odd).

Perhaps it was time someone spoke up for the woman who obviously had a story. Even if that someone was just a twenty year old girl.


	2. Are People Born Wicked?

Ugh.... I lied. Not on purpose, but I did. There was sort of a moment of clarity... why work on stories that are giving you Writer's Block when you can work on a story you are feeling inspired for? And that are getting fabulous feedback? *hint hint*

I promise Born To Be Forever has not been dropped, after a single chapter. I do... Mehh.

* * *

As much as she hated to admit it, Maera was finding it very difficult to find any sort of non-biased information on the Witch. The best she could come up with was the fact that the woman was a champion of Animal Rights, that that was what caused her to initially go against the Wizard. Maera tried looking up Animal rights groups, even animal rights groups, but couldn't find anything. Animals didn't want to be associated with her, even now, after years of peace and safety. It had taken her a surprisingly long time to realize that the Witch had attended the ancient Shiz University, the very same school Maera was studying at.

Maera _was _tempted to change her mind about her topic and switch to something easier- or, if she kept the basic topic of propaganda, to switch to an easier focus. But then she would have to admit that she was wrong, and she _hated _doing that. She had also grown oddly fond of the Witch. No one can be born evil, no little girl says she wants to be a terrorist when she grows up. You have to be pushed to that point.

The Wicked Witch of the West had been pushed. She had a history, something horrible had happened to her. She had a story to tell, and Maera was determined to tell it for her.

So, determined to find her story out, and to not be wrong, she set off to Shiz's library, dragging Grazina with her. The Morrible Library was in one of the original buildings of the school, and had be named in her honor after she retired from the school in favor of becoming the Wizard of Oz's press secretary. Although Maera was aware that looking for positive information on the Witch in a library named for one of her fiercest adversaries wasn't the best option, it was the only idea she had.

Besides (as Grazina kept reminding her), she had several library books to return. "Can I ask why you don't bother checking the books out? In a way, it's stealing when you just take them."

"I'm a student of the University, I have the right to borrow books from the library."

Grazina frowned, smoothing a chocolaty curl of hair out of her face. "You have the right to check out books. You just take them off the shelves and stuff them into your bag!"

"I just do it because I'm bad at remembering to return books on time, and I don't want fines... They always come back."

"Several months after they mysteriously disappeared!"

"Either way, it's not stealing," Maera insisted as the two walked into the library. When no one was looking, Maera slipped her 'stolen' books onto the shelf containing the other books needing to be shelved. "And now it's done!" She hissed to Grazina. And then she squealed, feeling a tap on her shoulder.

"Something I can help you with, miss?" She whirled around, coming eye to eye with one of the library aides. A young, male aide with caramel-blonde hair and bright green eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you... is something the matter?"

"No," Maera said, breathing a sigh of relief. Really, even if she wasn't supposed to just take library books... all she'd been doing was returning them! "Umm, I don't

"Wait, weren't you going to ask for help finding information on the Witch?" Grazina asked, sliding up beside Maera now that she no longer had 'sensitive materials'.

Maera swallowed hard against an unexplainable lump in her throat. "Oh, I should be able to find what I need on my own."

Grazina rolled her eyes theatrically, humphing at her friend. "Yeah right. Maera, this library is huge. We could be here all day and you would never find what you're looking for. Ask that guy to help you, it's his job. It's not like you'd be putting him out."

"No, really I-"

"Oh, for Lurline's sake, are you seriously not going to ask him to help you because you think he's cute?" When her friend didn't immediately correct her, she ran up behind the boy, "Hey, excuse me!"

"Yes," he said, turning around. Maera considered hiding behind a shelf, but knew there was nothing more immature she could do. "Can I help you ladies after all?"

"Yes, please." Grazina dropped her polite tone when she shot a glare her best friend's way. "Maera!" Maera walked over to the pair as slowly as if she'd been walking through quicksand. "Now tell him what you're looking for," she commanded.

Maera smoothed a stray strand of dirty blonde hair out of her eyes and forced herself to say, "I'm doing a paper on the Wicked Witch of the West, and I was planning to look through the Library to find information on her, as well as Oz during the time in which she..."

"Terrorized Oz?" he supplied. "Or so they say?"

"Exactly..." She smiled a little, slightly surprised by his second comment. "Do you doubt that she was the terror everyone claims she was?"

He shrugged. "I doubt anyone was the terror they claim she she was. Did you know she went here?" Maera nodded and Grazina looked appropriately shocked. He was already walking through the stacks, finding the section he was looking for, and pulling books down. "Anyway, I'm from the Vinkus- I was born in a village not too far from the Witch's castle." He put the books on a nearby table, flipping one open and showing the girls a picture of the castle. "They just call it the Witch's Castle now. It's a tourist trap, but it seems to be every Vinkun teenager's right of passage to spend a summer working there or in a shop in the little town around it. It used to be owned by the royal family, they called it Kiamo Ko. After the Witch lived there, and more importantly died there, they wanted nothing to do with it." He looked up from the book and frowned. "Is everything alright?"

The short answer was no. As soon he'd mentioned the Castle, a pounding headache had come on and she felt like she was going to throw up.

_It was storming, how appropriate. Kiamo Ko was not anyone's image of a castle owned by a King and Queen. The castle had spikey towers, jutting out against the sky. Bricks were missing, giving it a half-hazard look. She could see why Fiyero's family had never lived there. She didn't particularly want to, but she matched the castle's looks than any member of the royal family. _

"I'm fine!" she blurted out, glad it was words, not bile flying out of her mouth. She certainly wasn't fine, but she really did not want this boy to know that. The image in her head was not the sort of thing you could get from a picture in a textbook. "Just felt a little dizzy for a second."

Grazina frowned, clearly not buying the 'a little dizzy' explanation. "Thanks so much for helping us. We should be getting home. Would you be so kind as to check these books out for us?"

"Of course," he said, nodding. He led them over to a counter and scanned the books, handing them to Grazina. "If you... either of you, that is, need any help, come on by, I'll do whatever I can."

"Why than you..."

"My name is Conley."

"Why thank you, Conley," she said with a smile that belonged in a toothpaste commercial. "I don't think we ever introduced ourselves, but I'm Grazina and she's Maera."

"Nice meeting you two, and I hope you feel better, Maera." He said, also with a toothpaste commercial-worthy smile. "By the way, she wasn't always the Witch. When she went to school here, she was called Elphaba Thropp."


	3. Though I May Know, I Don't Care

Sorry this took a little bit longer than normal, but it's a _very_important chapter and I didn't want to mess it up. Unfortunately, I don't know when I'll be able to update again. I'm going to be very busy next week- I have my last summer at camp! It's a day camp, so I'll be home at night, but I still don't think I'll have very much time. So probably the week after that... hopefully I'll be able to get my other new story out too. Here's hoping!

Also... I just want everyone to know that I won't neccesarily be able to answer any questions you might leave in reviews- I really don't want to give the ending of the story away. Feel free to guess though! I like hearing what people think is going on... that being said, you're probably wrong.

Please read and review, I appreciate it so much.

* * *

"Maera, really. You leave me no choice."

"There's always choice, don't let anyone take that away from you," she insisted. "You always have a choice. Rebel, do the right thing. Don't do what your superiors demand of you- question orders. If you don't, then you're dead."

Conley scowled at her, rolling his eyes. "You really are not supposed to have coffee in here."

Logic and philosophy had not helped her, so she moved on to pouting and whining. "But there's a lid!"

"But no one is to have any sort of liquid in the library," he countered, picking up her styrofoam cup and reciting the rule verbatim from a sign behind the head librarian's desk. The two of them were sitting in the library, in theory she was doing research and he was working, but her cup of coffee was getting in the way of that; the fact that they were reduced to bickering over it was, anyway. "Not even you," he said, dropping the offending cup in a nearby trash can.

For a moment Maera seriously considered what had previously been in the trash can and how disgusting it would be to try and retrieve her drink and if it would be worth it. She ultimately decided not. Definitely not. "Well _that _was a waste of perfectly good caffeine."

"I'll buy you another one, sometime." He sat down at the table her books were spread out on.

She glanced up at him. "You mean you aren't a slave to the library? It seems like you're always here."

"They let me out of my cage at night if I behave." He grabbed one of her highlighters and fiddled with it. "Actually, I've been meaning to ask you, is your friend Grazina single?"

She didn't know what she'd been expecting him to say, but it certainly wasn't that. "Well, yes. She is." Why was this entire conversation bothering her? Conley liked Grazina, and he seemed to be a perfectly good individual. So was she. So why shouldn't they go out? "But you know? I can't ever remember her dating anyone." And that was the truth, Grazina was a serial flirter, but never seemed to go out with the same guy twice.

Conley did seem slightly put off by that, though. "Well, what do I have to lose, right?"

"Right."

He glanced over at her half full notebook. "So what have you come up with?"

Eager to get off the awkward topic of her best friend's love life, Maera was pleased to be able to rattle off facts. "Elphaba Thropp was the older sister of Nessarose Thropp, who inherited their father's title of Governor of Munchkinland. Nessarose grew into the infamous Wicked Witch of the East, but mostly on her sister's merit; her political opponents began calling her that after Elphaba was named the Witch of the West. Elphaba was born and raised in Munchkinland like her sister, but frequented the Vinkus, hence the West. Both sisters attended Shiz, Nessarose graduated but Elphaba dropped out."

"Shiz doesn't mention that to prospective students, right?"

"Right. Anyway, although Elphaba's family was wealthy, she was not pampered. Her father barely acknowledged her as his daughter and treated her more or less as a servant, preferring Nessarose to her."

"No wonder she lost it, then," he murmurred, looking slightly disturbed.

"Yeah. No wonder."

* * *

She took a sip of her drink wondering exactly how she had managed to get into her situation. The previous morning had started out ordinarily enough, but things had gone from unusual to downright strange. Roughly thirty-six hours ago, Conley had asked Grazina out. She had very gently told him she wasn't interested, but had invited him to the impromptu birthday party several friends who attended Shiz's Creative and Performing Arts school with her were planning. Surprisingly he agreed, and had shown up to the rented out night club.

That was when he discovered why Grazina had graciously turned him away- something Maera had unwillingly discovered the previous night. Grazina wasn't just not interested in Conley, she'd decided she wasn't interested in men, period. Which had been surprising enough, but not upsetting.

Maera had been upset when she discovered that Grazina was attracted to one person in particular; Theia, Maera's baby sister. And when she had confessed this to Theia, the younger girl had immediately decided she was attracted to Grazina as well. It wasn't that Maera didn't support her best friend or sister, and by no means did she disapprove of either of them participating in a same sex relationship. It was the fact that Grazina was the very definition of commitment issues and her new found lesbianism could easily be simply a phase. And while Theia had never expressed an interest in women before, she had blossomed under her new girlfriend's attention.

Mostly, Maera was just afraid her sister's heart was going to be broken and it was going to be her best friend's fault.

So Maera had spent the day not speaking to either of her roommates, instead bonding with her equally jarring textbooks and note cards. She had not intended to attend the party, having little interest and even less considering the tiff the girls were in... but of course, then Theia had come to her, requesting her sister come to the party, saying she wouldn't have any fun if she knew Maera was sitting at home alone.

So Maera had obediently followed the two to the decked out club, found a table, and had decided to sit there. She had eventually grown board of just sitting and pouting, so she eventually had gone and gotten herself a drink. And then a slightly dejected looking Conley had sat down at her table with her, with a drink for himself and another one for her. And she drank it because she decided she trusted him enough to not poison her.

And that was when things got very odd. "Are you having much fun?"

"My best friend possibly seduced my little sister. Then they preceded to drag me here and ignore me."

"So no?" he asked, possibly mentally slowed down by already having had a bit to drink.

"Decidedly not. I've never been much for parties or loud music," she said, studying him as the club's lights flashed over his face, making him look red, blue, green.

He looked down then and she thought she saw a smile that he was trying to hide. "So would you like to get out of here?"

"My sister said she would be upset if I were alone all night."

His eyes finally flicked up and he was definitely smiling, but also seemed edgy. "I don't mean for you to be alone tonight, Maera." Suddenly the mirth was gone from his face. "I didn't offend you did I?"

"No," she decided, grabbing her purse and downing the last of her drink. "Not at all," she said as she stood up, wondering what the hell she was thinking. Well, she knew what she was thinking- she was finally coming to terms with _why _the idea of Conley asking Grazina out the previous day had bothered her so much.

Well, it wasn't like either Grazina or Theia would be missing her- they were doing an excellent job of keeping each other occupied. She took his hand and they walked to his apartment, near Shiz's main library. They took the elevator up, he unlocked the door, shepherding her to his bedroom.

_She felt the leaves crunch as they were crushed beneath her as he gently eased her onto her back. His lips caught hers, and his kiss was able to tell her so much more than he would have been able to with his words. She felt shy as he helped her out of her dress, but there was no lack of acceptance in his eyes. He wasn't disgusted by her, he was mesmerized by her. He stared at her, but it wasn't in shock, it was because he wanted to memorize all of her before they were torn apart._

_Elphaba had never been able to understand something like that before, but as long as she was with him, she could begin to believe._

She shivered beneath him, both from his touch and the titillating vision. She hadn't thought that her day could get any stranger. She had been oh so _wrong_.


	4. And Now It's Up To You

Her computer made an indignant beeping sound at her when she slammed her fingertips against the keyboard as she failed to forget about the previous night. She really wanted to just forget about it all. Theia winced in compassion, although whether for her sister or the keyboard was unclear. "Stop dwelling on it, Maera," Grazina commanded.

"Easiser said than done," she shot back, feeling iritable. Saying an awkward goodbye to him early that morning, pulling on the rumpled clothes she'd worn the night before. The long walk home, up the stairs and into the girls' apartment, only to realise her roommates had waited up for her until it was very late and had fallen asleep on the couch together. "He thinks I'm a slut," she said, leaning forward and letting her head drop into her hands.

"No he doesn't," Grazina insisted with no doubt in her voice.

"Then he thinks I'm easy," she shot back.

"No way!"

"Or I'm just something to play with."

"He's not that kind of guy!"

"A whore, then."

"Well, then he's a man-whore," interjected Theia, and that made them all giggle because the words seemed so out of place in the prim and proper girl's mouth. "I mean, nothing you did was any worse than anything he did. He'd be a hypocrite if he thinks of you as anything bad."

"Exactly!" Grazina said, giving her girlfriend a reward of a kiss, making Maera feel faintly ill. She was going to have to get used to her sister dating and fast. "Having a one night stand is scandalicous, but it's not social suicide. You're both single and you were both a little drunk. You slept with him, you didn't murder anyone. Really, no one has a right to think badly of you, least of all him! And really, boys talk all the time about having one night stands. Why is there a double standard? It OK for a guy and not a girl? I mean, it takes two people to... you know. So no one should say anything to you."

"And if someone does think badly of me?"

"Then me and Theia will beat them up," Grazina said with a perfectly straight face until all of them dissolved into laughter again. "But really, you should talk to him and see where you stand. You two need to at least be on the same page about things. I mean, think about how awkward things could get if you keep avoiding him! It'll just make it all worse the longer it goes."

"I know," she said with a groan, shutting off the computer. She dreaded the thought of seeing Conley, much less actually talking to him. "Thanks, you two. If nothing else I feel a little better. I kind of want to be alone though," she said, wincing as she got up to walk to her bedroom because she realized that Theia probably wouldn't disturb her even to sleep and would probably wind up sharing a room with Grazina rather than intrude on her.

Best not to think of what _that _might mean.

She vowed not to think about that or Conley as she sat down on her bed and began flipping through a book that she had tossed on her pillow that morning. The book was actually on Lady Glinda, who had been a member of the Wizard's court and had succeeded him after he had left Oz. She was a natural adversary for the Witch, her polar opposite. The book was about the various rumors about her, the sensational parts of her life that did not pertain to politics. Nearly half of the rumors contained in the book involved the Witch.

Some claimed they hated each other with a passion, Glinda having a hand in her death. On the other hand, some went so far as to imply that the two women had been lovers and the reason Glinda had never married out of devotion to the lost woman. She had confirmed after the Witch's death that they had attended school together, a long time ago. She very rarely mentioned the Witch, but the two of them had similar political stances, if they expressed themselves in highly different ways.

Most of the stories about the Witch implied that they had once been friends, though, although no one could come to an agreement about how the friendship had ended.

_"I can't read it," she protested, pretty blue eyes filling with tears._

_Her own eyes longed to, but she couldn't let herself. She needed her, and it was the last time she'd ever be able to do anything for her. She wouldn't ever see her again, she wouldn't be able to comfort her ever again. So she needed to be the strong one then, maybe for the last time. "Then you'll have to learn, won't you?" She pushed the big, old book into her hands. "For the both of us," She says and my her eyes fluttered up so she wouldn't cry. "For me."_

_She sniffles but doesn't, leveling her chin, so practiced and lady-like and mature. Oh, what the Witch would give for her to squeal, chasing her around the room with glittery make-up and fancy new clothes. "Elphie, it can't... not like this." She gulps, desperate not to start to cry._

_She opened her arms up to her and she fell into them, awkwardly pinning the Grimmerie between us. "Shh. You'll be alright, you'll be strong. For me," She repeated to her, and she wascrying, too, no matter how hard she tried not to. Glinda heard her voice crack and looked up, staring at her friend in shock for a second before drawing herself up so she could brush a tear out of her face. She purses her lips to speak, but Elphaba could hear pounding outside the door. "They're coming. You have to hide!"_


	5. Not Really Stupid

I am so sorry this took so long. I've had really horrible Writer's Block lately.. I had it mostly for this fic, but it's switched over to blocking me out of Mad World. Hopefully I'll be able to update that one soonish, too. On the bright side, this one is longer than normal! Send me a review, I would really appreciate it, and I hope no one forgot about this story.

* * *

Despite the knowledge that she had to speak with him, Maera couldn't bring herself to confront Conley. Repeatedly, she would walk toward the library or his apartment, determined to talk to him, only to turn around and walk back home. Once she even ran into him on campus, only to run off before he had a chance to talk to her.

She wasn't particularly surprised (she couldn't have been, knowing Grazina as well as she did) to walk home one day and find him sitting on the couch with her roommates, watching television. Before she had a chance to turn around and leave again, or time to sneak past and walk to her bedroom, Grazina was on her feet, smiling sweetly. "Maera, I didn't know you would be home," she lied. "But as I'm sure you can tell, Conley is here. I think he's been wanting to talk to you, so Theia and I will leave you two to chat." She gave Maera a significant look and then glared at Conley. "I'll be able to hear if either of you try to run, so just don't."

There was a bit of comfort when she realized he felt as awkward as she did. "Have a seat... Oh, of course you can have a seat this is your couch. I should be asking you if I can have a seat. Um, can I have a seat?" There were both laughing by the end of it, only to have another awkward moment of how close to sit next to each other was appropriate.

"I'm sorry I avoided you, I was..." she couldn't think of a good way to finish that sentence.

"I thought you were angry with me. You left so fast, I couldn't tell what you were thinking about."

She laughed, now finally convinced she had been making things much worse than they needed to be. "That was my fault. I was so scared you were going to think I was a whore or something, I couldn't face you," she admitted.

"I thought you thought all I wanted from you was sex and that you were never going to speak to me again."

"Wow, things are easier when you actually communicate. Remind me to thank Grazina before I kill her for trapping us here."

"Sure thing." He ran his hand through his hair, knowing that they still had at least one potentially awkward conversation to go. "So this puts us where, exactly?"

"Well, I guess it puts us wherever we want to be. We don't have to be anything if you don't want to be."

He looked away from her. "God, I feel like I'm thirteen years old or something... I do want to be... _something_ with you. Unless you don't want to be?"

She felt her blood rush to her face. "I do too," she assured him.

"Great," he said and they both finally relaxed. "So we can start over. I feel like I really messed things up with you before, and I want to start over. Do you want to maybe go out and get something to eat this weekend?"

"I would love to."

* * *

Maera was sure she had never spent more time deciding on what to wear to go out. She had eventually settled on a dress Grazina had bought her for her previous birthday, but had never worn. It was a gauzy dark blue dress patterned with stars that sparkled slightly. It was gorgeous, but she'd never had anywhere to wear it to, and didn't particularly enjoy dressing up, anyway. But this felt different and the fact that Conley immediately told her she looked beautiful made her happy. She knew it was a little vain and girlish to try and appeal to a boy, but she didn't hold it against herself. She was human, after all.

It was a nicer restaurant, which made her feel sure that he was trying to impress her. They were both quiet at first, feeling awkward because it was really impossible to completely start over. Then their waiter switched their orders, which gave them something mindless to talk about, letting them relax. "So how is your paper coming? I haven't seen much of you in the library lately."

"It's almost done. I'm not completely satisfied with it, though. She wasn't as horrible as the Wizard made her out to be, for sure, but there was still something there. She was guilty of some of it, but I can't figure out exactly what was true and what wasn't. I mean, evidence points to her actually being guilty of some horrible things- the Tinman was originally one of her sister's servants. Her sister loved him, but something bad happened and he was turned into tin. She blew up buildings through out the country, stole, vandalized. But then, there's no real evidence that she actually murdered anyone."

"So she wasn't the demon the Wizard made her out to be, but she wasn't quite an angel, either."

"Yeah. She was just human. She definitely did some bad things, but was also a victim of bad publicity."

He nodded and said, "So your paper proved it's point then, she was a victim of propaganda."

She shrugged. "Yeah. I just wish..."

"What?"

"Something had to happen to her to make her the way she was. I just wish I knew what it was. I mean, I know I would never be able to clear her name- because maybe she was guilty of enough of it to be considered a Witch. I just wish I knew more of her story. What made her stop being Elphaba Thropp and starting being the Wicked Witch of the West."

"So I'm guessing your obsession with the Wizardic years isn't going to lessen?" he asked, mostly joking.

"Well, no. I mean, I probably should let it. I doubt I'm going to find out much about the life of a woman who died over a hundred years ago, particularly truthful information on perhaps the biggest victim of bad press. I know it sounds crazy, but I just feel so connected to her after doing so much research on her." She knew she was leaving out a few details about her connection to the Witch, Elphaba, but decided against mentioning it.

Just then, their waiter came back to them. "Is that going to be on one check or two?"

"One," Conley said, saying the word and taking the single check from him before Maera had a chance to protest.

"Oh, you don't have to. I have money, I can pay my own way-"

He didn't budge with the check and had pulled his wallet out of his pocket for the money. "You don't think I realize that? I know you're capable of taking care of yourself. However I also know that I was the one to ask you out, and was the one to select the restaurant. So I think I should be the one to pay. You must think I'm really stupid, don't you, not to think about that?"

"No, not really stupid- hey!" She laughed when he threw a piece of bread at her. It got caught in her hair, and he leaned forward to pluck it out, lingering longer than was necessary.

"_You're bleeding. It must have scratched you," her hand, acting with a mind of it's own gently touched his cheek, just below the cut while she stared at it in horror._

_His hand floated up, almost as if he were going to rest it on top of hers, but he jerked it away at the last second. "Or maybe it scratched me or something. I should get to safety- I mean get the Cub to safety." _

"_Of course," she said, hopping up to her feet. He grabbed the cage, glancing at her awkwardly before running off, running . Her heart seemed to plummet to the floor._

"Maera! Maera, why aren't you answering me." Conley looked terrified, hovering inches away from her, squeezing her hand.

She gasped, feeling sickly and light headed. "What? I... what?" she mumbled. The boy in the dream, she'd seen him before, a younger version of the man the Witch had been intimate with. She felt like she was piecing together a puzzle that was missing pieces and had been thrown into a box with pieces of another puzzle. She didn't know what pieces went together and she had no idea what either picture was."

"You blacked out or something, you stopped answering and you got all cold. Your face went blank and you locked up. Are you alright?"

"I-" God, what could she even say? _Oh, I've just been having these weird visions that I'm pretty sure are about the Wicked Witch of the West. You know, the other night when we had sex, I got one, too. I just had one now. Isn't that cool? _"I just feel a little sick, I guess."

"Do you..." he lowered his voice, for politeness's sake. "Do you think it was the food, should I say something to the waiter?"

"No, no, no. Don't, it's not that. I'm just dizzy, lightheaded or something."

He frowned, not sure if he believed her or not. "Well, let's go. Um, my apartment is closer to here than yours is. We can hang out there and see if you start to feel any better?"

"That sounds good," she said, choosing not to fight about him taking the check, or the fact that he put his arm around her as they walked- the little visions always made her feel sickly and she was afraid she would fall over if it weren't for him- the damn heels she was wearing weren't helping matters much.

They walked into his apartment, hovering for a second in the doorway. "Um, I don't think my roommate is here, he's out a lot. And even if he is, he won't mind that you're here. I'll go get you something more comfortable to wear. That dress is gorgeous, but it can't be very comfortable." She nodded appreciatively, and disappeared into the bathroom with the clean sweatpants and t-shirt he provided her with. Even though she was feeling a bit better by that point, she collapsed onto the couch with him, where he'd turned on the television for background noise.

They made small talk, making fun of their professors and other students they both knew, their friends. They chatted about their homework and movies they had both seen, and other things that didn't matter much. Eventually he went quiet and she noticed he had a thoughtful expression on his face. "What are you thinking about?"

"I was just wondering if you knew why they called her the Wicked Witch of the West- you know she was Munchkinlander by birth?"

"I figured alliteration? Besides, her castle was in the Vinkus."

"The castle was once owned by one of the tribal royal families. All of the Vinkus... well, they didn't necessarily support her, but they revered her. They saw her as a second coming of the Kumbric Witch, and they largely respected her as such. To this day she has a little bit of a cult following- albeit mostly by old mystics and young rebellious teenagers trying to scare their parents."

"Did you go through that phase?"

"Not really, but I get the feeling that if I keep hanging around with you, I might."

"Oh, am I such a bad influence on you?"

"Yes," he said, feeling a little brave and kissing her lightly on the lips. "But I don't know what's for my own good so I think I'm going to insist on continuing to see you, if you'll have me."

"I will. I wouldn't want anyone else to corrupt you." And she paused, and they kissed again, making her feel wonderfully lightheaded again. She changed and he walked her home, both glad that they had had a chance to start over.


	6. Look At You

OK, so I know this chapter is short and a little filler-y, but it came pretty quickly, if I do say so myself. That, and the next chapter really needs to be on it's own. So I hope you like it!

* * *

Although most of Maera's classmates didn't think twice about their topics after they turned their papers in, she couldn't get Elphaba Thropp out of her head. Even after she finished the project, she would still have visions of what could only be her life. Some were ordinary- staying up late with a girl who Maera could easily imagine as a young Glinda, the Good Witch. Other instances were horrifying. Once she had a brief glimpse of the Flying Monkeys, her pets and servants, screaming and flying overhead. She'd been horrified and hadn't been able to sleep after that one. She felt like the Wicked Witch of the West was haunting her, but she couldn't figure out why.

That was part of the reason why she agreed to spend the Winter Break in the Vinkus with Conley. Really, she did want so spend time with him, and she'd never been west of the Emerald City, so the trip would be good for her. Being able to see the land where the Witch died was simply a plus. _It will really be a plus if the poor woman will finally leave you alone. _In her favor, she didn't hide her (slight) ulterior motive from Conley. "Do you think you could take me to see the Witch's Castle while we're there?"

"Sure. But I have to say, sometimes I worry about you. I feel like your curiosity is on the verge of turning into an obsession," he said as he pulled her into his arms as they sat in Maera's living room.

"Don't be silly, it's just that I learned alot about her without actual learning _who _she was. It would just be interesting to see where she died." She grinned at him mischievously. "I promise I won't ignore you the whole trip."

"I could take a little convincing," he said, giving her a significant look. That, and him pulling her closer was the only hint she needed...

* * *

Despite good company and a pretty landscape, the drive out to the Vinkun town Conley had been born in wasn't the most exciting thing ever. The West was the most sparsely populated part of Oz, partially due to the nomadic nature some of the inhabitants still had. Usually they were the only people on the road, and she slept most of the way there, as he drove. He woke her when they got to the mountains. The castle stood out against the darkening sky, watching. Maera couldn't decide if it looked menacing or protective, with it's towers and platforms. "Wow," she mumbled, sleep having eaten away at her vocabulary.

"Yeah, it's something, isn't it? We live in Red Windmill... the town, that is. The actual windmill was torn down years ago."

"So that would make your family.. Yunamta?"

"Eh, probably a little, somewhere, but no. Kiamo Ko is an Arjiki castle, but in the past thirty or forty years or so, the tribes have really broken down, and with advances in travel a lot more people from the East are moving to the Vinkus. My grandmother on my mother's side was born in the Emerald City, and my grandfather was Arjiki, full blood. My father's side is a little less clear. Everything's much more blended than it used to be. Like how there are so few little Munchkinlanders anymore. It used to be the norm, but now it's actually pretty rare. It's funny, years ago the tribes fought like cats and dogs, but now it doesn't matter. It's a good thing, but quite a bit of culture was lost along the way, as well. Hunters and warriors are the way of the past."

"I can't picture you as a tribal warrior at all. Though the mental image I'm getting is pretty entertaining."

He rolled his eyes as he pulled into the driveway in front of a house. "Watch it, Missy," he warned. Maera was surprised by the modern little town in the midst of what had been grasslands and hunting grounds not long before. "I could be a warrior if I'd wanted to be, I'll have you know."

"Oh I'm sure," she said, rolling her eyes, laughing when he pinned her so he could kiss her.

She didn't complain have any complaints until she heard a girl call out, "Mama, Conley and his girlfriend are here, and they're kissing in his car!"

Conley was out of the driver's seat in seconds, clapping his hand over his little sister's mouth. "So good to see you, too, Lena." He dropped his hand to her shoulder in an awkward forced hug when an older woman who must have been his mother approached. "Hey, Mom."

She hugged him, briefly, but moved on to Maera quickly. "So good to meet you, dear, call me Valaria." She shook her hand firmly, but not uncomfortably, and smiled. "Oh, Conley you didn't tell us the little thing was this pretty, you didn't do her justice. Not at all."

"Which is pretty surprising considering that she's been the only thing you've mentioned for the past two months whenever someone would call you," said Delien, Conley's older brother with a smile at betraying his brother.

To his credit, Conley was taking the teasing in stride. "Can you blame me?" he asked, kissing her again(eliciting a "gross" from Lena) before leading them all inside to dinner waiting for them. Even if Red Windmill held no clues about the Witch, it did have a magic about it.


	7. Wildest Dreamings

Fast update! I feel like I can say I'm getting back into the swing of things! So I know I haven't lost my touch... why not send me a review?

* * *

Despite the modern village below, the Witch's Castle was still in more or less it's original condition. The rooms had undergone only minimal changes that were just to make it more welcoming to a visitor. Tour guides fluttered about, taking groups throughout the main floor of the castle. Only the bottom floor was accessible to guests, mostly tourists. The rest of the castle went untouched by anyone. Conley had been to the castle before, on school field trips and family outings, but Maera was amazed by it. Old tapestries still covered the walls, and the wood floors had not been updated and were rickety with age. She loved it, and Conley mocked her gently, "Come on, we can see the Witch's dining room, her kitchen, her pantry... because everything is more interesting when it belongs... or sort of belongs to a dead woman."

"Thank you for taking me here," she said, leaning up to kiss his cheek. "I promise I'll behave the rest of the trip."

"I'm just glad you're happy," he promised her. "You're a little pale, though. Is everything alright?"

"Um, yeah, I'm fine. I think I'll just stop at the bathroom, though. I'll catch up with you."

He nodded, "Alright. I don't think we'll get too far ahead of you."

In truth, she wasn't completely fine. While she'd originally chalked her slight nausea up to excitement, the feeling was getting worse, not better. When she looked at herself in the mirror in the (thankfully) fully modern bathroom, she was shocked at how haggard she looked. She couldn't see what staying in the restroom would fix though, and left to see a surprisingly empty hall. She knew she should've probably found Conley and left, and that was what she fully intended to do, but she saw something that stopped her.

A completely unmonitored staircase to the upper floors of the castle.

The upstairs wasn't meant to be seen by anyone- even the people who worked as tour guides and who maintained the grounds didn't go up there. She knew it was stupid. She would get in trouble at best, or die by falling through rotten floor boards at worse. And even if neither of those events occurred, she was feeling physically worse, not better. But she was too stupid to turn around, find her boyfriend, and leave, so she headed up the steps.

She could see that the castle had once been beautifully maintained, although that was long before the Arjiki royal family abandoned it. Rooms used by the family didn't seem to have been touched by the Witch, and weren't touched by the castle's current caretakers, either. Dust clung to the beds and dressers of the old bedrooms she wandered in and out of. A library in the western part of the castle was littered with books, some lying half-hazardously across the floor, over tables. Leftovers from some fit the Witch had had, but had never bothered to clean up. Maera fell to her knees in that room, a pounding headache joining her upset stomach and shortness of breath. _A screaming baby, too pale, too small. Her sister? With little, malformed legs, wouldn't be able to walk or dance or move. Mama lying in the bed, Mama too pale, too. Mama not breathing, her blood soaking the sheets, soaking through to the mattress. Papa, the midwives, horrified, yelling, commanding. And her forgotten, crying in the corner, wanting to hide but not knowing where she could go._

Maera staggered to her feet, pushing away from the library, leaning against the wall for support. Another staircase she drifted up, stumbling. Was it to the tower? It had to be? _"Don't get too close, that skin has got to be contagious!"_

_The stares, the cold words, the hate. Even here, too. It wasn't just home. It was everywhere. No one would listen to her, treat her life a person."How the hell did that happen? Did her mother fuck a Frog? A Lizard?"_

_"Now, now. There's no reason to say something low about someone's skin color." Hope, hope to be dashed. "The magic crap, that's what really makes her a freak. Even if she were white, she'd be weird." And the laughter, the harsh laughter._

She pushed the door open, falling to the ground again, collapsing. _Alone, more alone than she had ever been. The Wizard, her hope for acceptance, gone. It was because of him that she was alone. Glinda, as pretty and normal as ever. Loved, accepted, yet unhappy. And pretty Glinda was unhappy because of her, because she had finally gotten what she had wanted. She'd had him by her side, oh so briefly, and the briefness hurt her more. Her sister was dead, and now so was he. He'd died to protect her, his final act. She wished he hadn't done it- she wished it was her that was dead, not him. _

An overturned bucket still sat on the floor. Dirt and grime clung to the floor. It still felt musty from century old water. A broken window, tables knocked over. She felt so cold, ice washing over her. Why had she come up to the tower? Why didn't she let Conley take her home? _God, wouldn't that child stop screaming, make it stop, make it stop, make it stop! Let it end, please, please, please. But don't let her see it, I can't... no. No, please, almost. It hurts so much, why can't it all stop? Even now? Where was he? She needed him! Now more than ever, please, please._

"Maera! Maera, what happened, can you hear me?" She felt him pull her into his arms. Conley, her Conley, there. Alive and well, not dead or gone. He came with several guards, they'd come running.

Was she alright? "What? I... I don't know, I-"

"You never came back to the group, and then we heard you screaming." He smoothed her hair out of her face. "You're soaked, sweetheart. You're freezing. What happened? How did you get up here? What happened to you?"

She could feel herself trembling, but awareness came back to her, slowly. "I don't know what happened," she admitted. He was helping her to her feet, wrapping his coat around her soaked shoulders, but it did little to warm her and she could feel her heart pounding as fast as a birds. She almost fell on the steps, but he caught her, more or less carrying her down the stairs. The guards didn't bother reprimanding her, just ushered them outside, having already closed the castle from the public.

Once they were safely in his car, again, the heater running, he asked, "What really happened back there, you can tell me, whatever it was."

She could feel her teeth chattering, making it difficult to speak. The ice water that still soaked through her clothes, paired with the winter air was sapping all warmth from her body, despite Conley's best efforts to warm her. Still it didn't matter, it wasn't the important thing, something else was so much more vital. The first coherent sentence that came out of her mouth was the only thing she was sure of in that moment. "Elphaba Thropp did not die in the castle."


	8. Unlimited

"What did you say?" he asked, sure she couldn't have meant _that_. He put his hand in front of one of the heat vents, the car not warming up as quickly as he would have liked. She already had his coat, but he was able to dig around in the backseat to find a blanket, which he wrapped around her. Despite wanting to be able to just sit and talk, he started home, wanting to get her into dry clothes as quickly as possible.

"I know it sounds nuts, but it's the truth. I just... she didn't die in the castle, the water didn't kill her." She became more sure of it each time she repeated it.

"How can you know something like that? What happened up there, Maera. It's just you and me, you can tell me anything. What happened?"

She faltered there, staring blankly out the window for a while. There were nearly back to his house before she was able to say, with a far away look in her eyes, "I had a vision. The little girl, Dorothy, she threw the bucket of water at her, but it didn't kill the Witch. Everyone just thought it did, she wanted it that way. She needed it to be that way, or she really would have been killed."

It was his turn to sputter, at a loss for words. Without taking his left hand off of the steering wheel, he reached for her, squeezing her hand. "What do you mean, a vision?"

"It's hard to explain," she admitted. "For a second, I was her... I think. It all felt so real, the water... the water, it didn't kill me and it didn't kill her."

"That's yet to be seen, I'm worried you're going to get pneumonia or something." He pulled back into the empty driveway, glad the rest of his family wasn't home. He walked around to the passenger side of the car and helped her to stand up. She leaned against him heavily as she walked unsteadily toward the door. He took her upstairs to the guest room she had put her belongings in(his parents had a strict rule about no sharing a bed before marriage, which he hadn't found so annoying in the past) and helped her change into dry pajamas. She slipped under the covers and he laid down next to her. "So, let's backtrack. You had a vision? Like a premonition or whatever? Well, it was of the past, but-"

"Yeah. I did," she said quietly, quickly adding, admitting, "And I've been having them for awhile now. All of the Witch's life, since I started that damn paper. Most of them just confused me, but this one... this one scared me."

She waited for him to be horrified, but it never came. All he said was, "How come you never told me about them?"

"I was afraid you would think I was a freak, or worse." She rolled her eyes, but snuggled closer to him. "What was I supposed to say? My favorite color is blue, I'm a Libra, and oh by-the-way I've been getting these really creepy vivid visions about the Wicked Witch of the West. You would have ran away screaming and I would've woken up in a rubber room!"

That got them both to laugh, something they both needed. "OK, you're right. I don't know how I would've told you something like that, either. But it'll be ok, I promise. We'll figure this all out." He pulled her to his chest, kissing the top of her head, glad to see she had finally warmed up. "But what makes you so sure the water didn't kill her?"

"Mostly the fact that I'm pretty sure that if it had killed her... it would have killed me, too."

"You think these visions are that strong? That they can do something like that?"

She shifted around so she could see his face. "I don't know, but it felt so real... and I was definitly soaked with a bucketful of water. I was feeling so many emotions there. Fear, anger, depression, relief. But there was never physical pain or anything. I just.. I just know it didn't really kill her. Everyone just thought it did."

"Why do you think you've been having these visions?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "The first one was of Kiamo Ko castle, but the way it used to be. When it wasn't a tourist trap that could really use better security."

He nodded, "I don't think this is random, Maera. I think it's happening for a reason. Maybe not to you, specifically for a reason, but there's got to be something. So you're really, _really _sure the Witch- Elphaba didn't die in the castle?"

"Yes."

"Then let's figure out what happened after Dorothy."

She sat up in bed, shocked. "What?"

He pushed himself up after her. "You said she had a story to tell. Let's find it out, figure out what happened. Look, there's an old Animal Reserve on the borderland- down south, almost in the Quadling Country. We'll start there. It's as good a place as any."

She bit the edge of her lip, nervous. "Do you promise you're not just patronizing me, or pacifying me? Do you promise you don't think I'm crazy for all this?"

"Yes," he promised, kissing her on the lips, holding her close to him. "I believe you, I love you. If you're crazy, then I guess I am, too. I believe you."

And he found hope in her eyes, a small smile creeping onto her face. "I love you, too," she said, glad to realize that there was absolutely nothing she needed to hide from him.


	9. Always

Finally, an update! It's short and bleh, but I was getting Writer's Block again, so just be glad I managed to finally squeak this out. Read and Review please. I promise the next(and final) chapter won't suck so much.

* * *

The Reservation, which had never been referred to by any other name, had popped up early in the reign of the Lady Glinda. It was originally meant to be a place where the Animals who had suffered during the reign of the Wizard could recuperate amongst their own, and where families who had been split up could reunite, however in time the Reservation had become the Animals' new homeland, with few living in other parts of Oz. While Glinda had wanted the Animals to rejoin society, it was easy to see that they had thrived in the Reservation, turning it from a refugee camp to a small city that thrived. The Animals were safe and allowed to live their lives like any other Ozian citizen.

When Conley and Maera arrived, they went largely ignored, other than the occasional suspicious look. Most Animals living in the Village had not been around humans frequently and were not particularly fond of the idea of humans on "their" land, but also realized that two curious college students were unlikely to cause any sort of harm.

Conley was amazed by the city. It looked like a human city, with gleaming buildings and busy streets, and it didn't find itself at all remarkable. They wandered around a bit, eventually wandering into the library, which was their only idea of where to start.

When Maera asked about the Wicked Witch of the West, the librarian, an older Doe frowned at her. "We don't call her that here, dear, at least not the Wicked part. She was so good. She didn't think she was, most people didn't think she was, but we all knew it," she smiled at them. "Well, not me per say- I'm not that old- but the Animals. And him, he knew it too."

Maera and Conley exchanged a look, before she spoke up. "I'm sorry, who?"

The Doe tilted her head, reminding herself that her audience had never heard the story before, something she was unaccustomed to. "Her companion. Her friend, or lover, even. He'd been cursed somehow. She'd blamed herself, that much was always clear. They lived like a husband and wife did, for some time, staying in the Village alongside Animals. They loved each other deeply, but there was a sadness there, too. They left, vanished into thin air. Oz never heard from them again, the Animals, either."

Conley frowned, "So you all really have no idea what happened to them after they left the Village?"

She nodded. "They vanished, like ghosts. They didn't say goodbye to anyone. We don't know what became of them or exactly why they left."

Both of them knew that the little trip had been pointless then, but they thanked their host graciously and reminded themselves that they had gained at least one valuable piece of information: that the Witch had not been alone. She'd had love in her life. "I guess we head back home," Conley mused, opening the passenger side door for Maera, mostly because he knew that she would protest the chivalry, but it would get a smile out of her. "I mean, this doesn't have to be the end of it, but classes start up again next week."

She nodded, warming her hands by holding them in front of the heating vents. "I guess, no, I know you're right," she said, not really bothering to hide her disappointment at the dead end. How in the world had Elphaba Thropp's life ended?

"We'll figure it out," he assured her. He leaned over to kiss her and then they began the trip back to Red Windmill.

* * *

_"I'll fix this, love. I promise, and then we'll have a normal life, as normal as we can," she promised, but she felt her voice quiver as she said it. God, they would never be able to have a normal life, who was she kidding? But he... he'd given up everything. Couldn't she do this for him, this one thing? After all that he had done for her, couldn't she do this one thing for him?_

_"But I don't want you to worry about this, Elphaba." The crinkle of straw accompanied the Scarecrow's voice, and it cuts his words and her heart in half. "I have you, that's all I need." Her eyes watered and his embrace didn't help much, other than give her the desire to help him more. She leaned her head against his chest. The scent of straw wasn't unpleasant, but it wasn't human and it was what made the tears run over. "Shh. Stop that, now. I promise Elphaba, you will never hear me complain about my life as long as I have you with me. I love you."_

"_I love you, too," she said, reaching for his hand as they left the Village._


	10. I'll Be Here, Holding You

Alright, this is it! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and this story... and I hope the end doesn't confuse you all more!

* * *

"Fuck," he grumbled as he lifted the hood. Maera knew nothing about cars, but she had a sinking suspicion that sputtering and smoke wasn't a good thing.

She poked him from behind, staying clear of the car. "Do you know what's wrong with it?" She peeked at it from beneath his arm, but only saw what looked vaguely like black, smokey spaghetti. "Or better yet, how to fix it?"

He frowned. "Unfortunately, no and no. I am not the mechanic in the family. I take it you aren't either?"

"Definitely not. So what do we do?" She asked, leaning against the car until she thought better of it.

"Keep walking and hope we find a gas station or a mechanic's shop," he said. "You can stay here if you'd like."

She was walking before he finished his sentence. "Stay with a car that might blow up or something, alone, in the middle of winter? We'll walk together," she said, leaving him to chase after her to catch up.

The old road they were on was seldom traveled, still leading up to the Animal village. Neither of them really hoped to see another car. They both grumbled a little at realizing they probably had quite a trek ahead of them, but they also took the opportunity to walk hand in hand, feeling snow crunch beneath their feet. All seemed fine, until the road suddenly stopped.

"I don't get it, we didn't turn or anything. We didn't...where are you going?"

She had already walked off the road and was walking into the woods. She raised a fingertip to her lips. "Walk with me?" she asked, quietly. "I just... want to, need to see something." She reached for him and he took her hand and they walked together.

"Let's not go too far, though?" He asked, but she didn't respond until she suddenly stopped dead in her tracks. "What's the matter?"

"Look," she said, pointing forward toward a clearing in the woods. He gasped at the sight.

Beautiful, brightly colored flowers grew, untouched by the snow. Indeed, the cold didn't seem to touch the clearing and Conley found himself pulling his jacket off. In the middle of the clearing stood the remains of a large, ceremonial fire- a funeral pyre, he realized. Although he stayed back, Maera approached it slowly, reaching toward it.

"_Don't be afraid," he said, gently smoothing her hair out of her face. "You can rest now."_

"_I don't want to leave you," she said, her own voice sounding weak and foreign to her. "I don't want to go,"_

_He gathered her into his arms and she didn't feel any pain. "I know, my love, but don't worry about it, I'll be just behind you." She knew he planned to end the half life he had lived by her side. She wasn't a fan of the idea but knew he would do it anyway. "I love you so much, Elphaba."_

"_I love you too," she said, although she knew he knew it. "I'm just afraid this is really it, that we never got to have a normal, happy life. We never got a family, we never got safety, we never-" a coughing fit cut her off._

_For a second her eyes shut and he thought he lost her, but then he could see her chest still rising with her breath. "Don't worry about that," he commanded her. "Even death can't part us, won't part us. I know that somehow we'll be together. Even if it's just in death, nothing will hurt us ever again."_

_She could feel herself weakening and she shut felt him gently touch her face. She felt warmth replacing the chill she had lived with for months. She felt numbness push aside the pain. She never stopped feeling his embrace even as life slipped out of her, giving way to nothingness._

Maera whirled around, seeing not only Conley, but another young man, Fiyero, as well as the Scarecrow he had become. "You kept your promise," she whispered, reaching for him. He caught her by the waist, turning her toward him. "You found me again, like you promised you would." She wasn't just Maera Lyman, she was Elphaba Thropp, too, she realized. Without an inclination toward magic, without green skin, but the woman Elphaba could have been if she hadn't been given such a poor lot in life. She was Elphaba before the world got to her- she was free to live, to love. And her love, he was here too. Conley was not a prince or a military officer or a Scarecrow, but he was the dreamer, quick to love and more than willing to do something brainlessly heroic.

"I love you," he told her, and she wasn't sure she knew who was speaking, Conley or Fiyero, but it didn't matter because it was true of both of them and she loved them both in return. She leaned against his chest, feeling his warmth and not the crinkle of straw. She could feel his hands in her hair, not ebony black but a dusty blonde. She breathed in his scent, knowing that she had found it, that this was the real end to Elphaba's story: love.


End file.
